


The Pokemon Warriors

by AshWolfForever



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Gen, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26394421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWolfForever/pseuds/AshWolfForever
Summary: [Old Version... sort of] What are you doing? This story’s discontinued. It’s a train wreck of epic proportions. Why are you even here? Don’t read this crap, wait for the revamp or check out The Division. Heck, go read any of my other stories. ANYTHING but this!Sigh. You aren’t gonna listen to me, are you? Fine, suit yourself. This is the story of Aisha Wolf, as told in first person, and how she ended up roped into being a Pokémon Trainer. It’s easily one of the most cliché things I’ve ever wrote, and a complete waste of your time, and of mine. Are you sure you want to do this? Last chance to turn back…





	1. Electro

My thirteenth birthday started out a typical Saturday. That much I’ll always remember. I had a fight with my sister Sasha, endured the daily lecture about my latest detention, and barricaded myself in my room by noon. Same old story, same old situation as usual. Of course, I wasn’t alone long. It wasn’t _my_ room, after all. It was _our_ room, as Sasha reminded me on a regular basis. She breezed through the door, her perfume like a cloud of choking smoke around her, and threw a perfectly wrapped package on my bed. I growled at her.

“Oh, shut up with the ‘shape-shifter’ garbage for once,” she replied, brushing her long hair over her shoulder and stood with her delicate hands on her hips. “Everyone knows you’re not a werewolf, and if you’d give up those delusions, you wouldn’t be in trouble half as often. Open your present, say thank you, and go away. I have phone calls to make. Unlike _some_ people, _I_ have friends.”

“It is _not_ garbage, for the last time!” I said my resigned tone tinged with anger. I picked up the box and shook it, then sniffed it. “What is it anyway?”

“It should have been a muzzle, but I actually love you, believe it or not.” Sasha brushed her perfect nails against her blouse and sighed. She shook her head. “Just open it and see.”

“Now I’m scared.” I opened the box anyway. Inside were a set of red and white balls, a rectangular yellow electronic-address-book-like-thing, and an envelope. I opened the last to read:

_Dear Ms. Wolf:_

_Your sister has brought it to my attention that you would like to take an absence from school to pursue a Pokémon journey. Given your high grade point average and despite your track record with detentions, we would be happy to arrange for you to take this time to better yourself._

_Please contact Professor Willow about obtaining your first Pokémon._

_Sincerely,_

_Miss Joanne Naylor_

I stared at the paper a full minute before it hit me. Then I turned to Sasha. My mouth moved a few moments before the words came to me.

“What… did you _DO?_ ” I demanded.

“Simply found a way for you to leave school for a while, and home, without breaking the law.”

“And who said I wanted to train Pokémon? Where do you get off?”

“Just thank me and leave, Ash,” she said dismissively. “It should be up your alley: You get to be at one with nature and everything.”

“Thank you, Sash,” I replied, grabbing up her gift anyway. I was honestly tempted. But I wasn’t about to tell her that. “Thank you for getting _me_ out of _your_ hair!”

I stormed out of the house in a huff, blinking against the afternoon sun. Now my parents’ gifts made sense: a backpack and first aid kit. As soon as I was in the woods, the sunlight blessedly filtered by the leaves, I took off my bandana and wrapped her present in it. Then I began to change.

No matter how many times I shift it always feels weird. I mean, my ears grow and move up the sides of my head. My nose morphs into a muzzle and my limbs rearrange until I’m on all fours. That’s all the sensible stuff; my clothes change, too: my rainbow-pattern belt hangs like a collar around my neck, my white shirt becomes a creamy underside and my yellow leggings a golden top-layer of fur. I keep my brown eyes, and my long brown hair forms a sort of “mane” down my back. I’d seen my reflection like this once; it kind of looks like Shenzi in _The Lion King_ , with my brown hair falling in my eyes a bit, yuk. But that’s not the worst part.

You know all the stories about the “big, bad wolf”? Well, no one would ever think I’d go after those pigs. Look, I’m a short person, to begin with – barely four feet, but it adds insult to injury when you take a form with razor-sharp fangs and you aren’t even two feet tall.

I picked the bandana up in my teeth and ran. Why I was running I really couldn’t say. I just was. But maybe there was more to it than I thought. I came to a little cottage at the edge of town. The fact two really famous Pokémon breeders lived there was a consistent topic of the gossips in town. Sighing, I backed into the trees and sat down. Shifting back to my “true” form, I went through the rest of the papers in the box Sasha had given me. There was some kind of guide to being a trainer in it. I was halfway through reading about the use and invention of Pokéballs when I heard the screams. The book hit the ground as I raced to see what was happening.

“Put them down, you brutes!” cried the old woman. “You’ll hurt them! Beasts!”

“Aw, shut up, Granny! We’re doing you a favor.”

 _“_ Eddie, shut your trap and get out here with those Pichu!”

 _Oww!_ I didn’t know who this redhead was, but her voice was like chalk on a chalkboard to my sensitive ears. A boy with short _purple_ hair came out of the cottage with his hands full of netted Pokémon. Both the pair work dark brown shirts with dark purple leggings.

“On it, Izzy,” replied the boy.

“You’ll never get away with this!” the old man warned them.

They just laughed at him. And of course, it was then that I realized the Sepias were being robbed! I crouched down by the tree. What was I going to do? Go for help? But would anyone believe me? Then something happened that decided my actions: a small mouse-like creature broke free of the net and bit the boy’s hand. It bolted.

“Ow!” he yelled. “That hurt!”

“Oh, Eddie, be quiet you big baby!” snapped Izzy. She snapped her fingers at a cat-like creature. “Mike, get that Pichu! It’s worth a fortune!”

The Pichu ran almost straight into me. It jumped back and growled. I held out my hand for it to sniff.

“Easy, little one. I won’t harm you.”

He took in my scent, and perhaps smelling the wolf under my skin, he relaxed. Then he tugged my shirt and started pointing at the cottage. I sighed and shook my head.

“I know, but I can’t just rush out there. I’ll have to go for help. But how to carry you?”

My eyes fell on the box of Pokéballs. That was it! I lifted up one and pressed the button. It grew to the size of a baseball. Then I held it out to the Pichu. He looked at me strangely.

“Get inside,” I told him. “I’ll get you out of here, and get help for the others.”

He gave me a look that spoke volumes. He nodded. I pressed the button again and a bright light flashed, wrapping the Pichu in it and sealing him inside the ball. I threw everything back in the box and tied it up again. Then I became the wolf once more. Grabbing the bandana in my teeth, I stood and bolted into the forest. What the cat-thing would think I’d never know. The forest floor flew under my paws as I headed back to town.

It was a simple matter to navigate the alleys and the back streets to the Police Station. I told them what I’d seen, leaving out the whole wolf bit for the sake of believability, and they were out the door. The black-haired woman told me to take the Pichu to Professor Willow, so she could check it out and make sure it wasn’t hurt. Our small town didn’t have a Pokémon Center. I nodded. I had to check in there anyway.

Professor Willow was a kindly woman who clearly loved all animals, not just Pokémon. My wolf’s heart warmed to her instantly. She examined the Pichu, who likewise loved her.

“He looks pretty healthy and hale,” she told me. “And to think he just let you capture him! You must be a natural at this.”

I blushed and smiled sheepishly.

“You said your name was Aisha Wolf?”

I nodded, and put my hand in my pockets.

“Weren’t you supposed to come in and choose a Pokémon today?”

“I guess,” I replied. “My sister set it up as a birthday present.”

“Well, wasn’t that kind of her?”

The phone rang before I could respond.

I sighed. _Saved by the bell,_ I thought. I walked back outside so I wouldn’t eavesdrop on the conversation. Even in human form, my senses stayed sharp. The Pichu trailed behind me. I leaned against the wall by the door, and he regarded me with those too intelligent eyes. I stared down at him for a moment before returning my eyes to the clouds.

“Ms. Wolf?” called Professor Willow. “That was the Pichu’s owners. Apparently, the police got there in time to save the other Pokémon, but they are putting them up for adoption. This whole event was too traumatizing for them to continue their business. They’re retiring.”

“I see,” I replied. “So will you be able to find a new home for this little fellow?”

“Well, he’s a prize Pichu, you see. His parents are champions.”

Sounded like dog show nonsense to me. I shrugged. “Good, you do that. Have a nice evening.”

“But I thought you were starting your journey today?”

“It really doesn’t seem like me – AHH!” I fell forward onto the ground as the Pichu wrapped himself around my leg. I kicked my foot and tried to shake him off. He was stuck to me like Velcro.

She laughed. “I was going to tell you,” she told me. “Pokémon tend to bound with the trainer who captures them. Even though trainers sometimes release Pokémon, they still remain loyal and rarely return to the wild too easily.”

“I’m not a trainer,” I protested, trying to pry the Pichu of me.

“Well, what would you do if he was, say, a dog?”

“I guess I would buy him a collar and tags, and start teaching how to be good house pet. If my sister didn’t freak, that is.”

“Then that’s all you do with him. Plenty of people keep Pokémon as pets. There’s no law saying you have to be a trainer. But like it or not, you’re stuck with him.”

And that’s how I became a Pokémon Trainer. We went back inside and I filled out the paperwork to make the Pichu mine. I had no trouble with the questions except one, which I left until last. The Pichu was staring up at me as I lifted the pen one last time.

**What Nickname Do You Want To Give This Pokémon?**

I thought for a moment, chewing on the end of the pen. Then I wrote out the best name I could come up with:

_Electro_


	2. Hero Worship

Maybe if I hadn’t left the T. V. on when I left for school, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’d had Electro for about a week or two, and I was quickly learning what he did and didn’t like. He had developed a habit of “battling” the Pidgey that always hung around Mom’s flowers, for example. As a result, he was gaining what my guidebook called “EXP” very fast. He loved the collar I’d got him and hated to take it off. And I discovered the first thing he didn’t like when Sasha called him an “electric rat”. Her hair stood on end for hours afterward. I rarely left him in his Pokéball, though; he was so well behaved that it wasn’t necessary. He also loved to watch the televised Gym Battles, so I usually left the T.V. on for him as they started just as I got out of school. My teachers and parents were thrilled with my adopting Electro. I was always on time now; My Pichu was better than an alarm clock.

On this day in particular, they were focusing on the Vermillion City Gym and its Leader Lt. Surge. A ten-year-old from Pallet Town was to be the next challenger. His name was Ash Ketchum. Apparently, it was a rematch, as his Pikachu had lost the week before. When I got home, Electro was sitting down in front of the T.V., transfixed as usual. I snagged a snack and my homework before I joined him.

“And today, Ash from Pallet Town will battle Lt. Surge and his powerful Raichu. Ladies and Gentlemen, hold on to your hats!”

I rolled my eyes. The announcer’s comments always bugged me. But you did _not_ touch the T. V. when the Gym Battles were on. Electro hated that, too. Even if he shocked himself at the same time, he would get you for messing with his shows.

Electro watched the Pikachu dance around the Raichu, which was just too slow to catch it. I finished my math homework, then moved on to that book report I had due. But I didn’t miss the big finish when Ash’s Pikachu took out Raichu. I had to admit, it was very impressive.

And I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

“Pi! Pi! Pi!” said Electro, tugging at my shirt and pointing at the T.V., then at himself. It took a moment for me to get it.

“You want to be on T.V.?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“Then what?”

“Pichu, Pi, Pi, Chu Chu!”

I sighed, closed my books, and went into the kitchen. I put my schoolwork on the table and walked out in the backyard, Electro on my heels. I lifted him up and made my way into the forest near my house. Once we were safe in the trees, I set him down and shifted. His eyes got wide and he sniffed at me. He had never seen me shift before.

 _“What do you want, Electro?”_ I asked in common speech, which is the language that animals use to communicate.

 _“I want to be like Pikachu!”_ he told me. _“Want to battle! Want to be the best ever! I’ll be the GREATEST Pikachu in the world!”_

Uh-oh. My Pika-pal had a role model, and a massive case of hero-worship. I whisked my tail uneasily. _“Are you sure? I mean, we’ll need at least five more Pokémon. It’s not a one-dog show, Electro.”_

_“We can do it, Ash Wolf! You’re the greatest! Other Pokémon would love to be on your team!”_

_“How do you know I’ll be a good trainer Electro? I’ve never done anything like this before.”_

_“I know you can! You’re smart and you think fast. Plus, you’re a chess master. You can do this!”_

_“All right, Electro. I’ll try.”_

I stood up and took a fighting stance. _“Let’s get started,”_ I said to him. _“Do what I do.”_

Electro leapt up and mimicked my position. I crouched low and coiled my muscles. He did the same. With a powerful kick, I leapt into the air. Electro followed my every move. I had to admit, he was good. Maybe we could do this, after all.

~*~

“Miss Naylor?” I said after knocking lightly of the principal’s door. “Can I talk to you?”

“Of course, Miss Wolf. Come in, come in! And how is your Pichu?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Um, Electro evolved. And I was thinking that maybe I’d go on that journey after all. I mean, he seems to really enjoy battling, and I want him to be happy.”

Electro and I had been training in the woods daily. He had evolved into a sleek Pikachu with a tuft of hair between his rabbit-like ears. He had also been talking to the local Pokémon. It seemed there were some easy starter choices around, like Rattatas and Pidgeys. He had had enough of our backwoods training and wanted to get started for real.

“That’s wonderful! All you need to do is have your parents complete this permission slip.” She handed me something like I would get before a field trip. “Then take it down to Professor Willow and she’ll get you set up.”

I looked at the inoffensive paper and sighed. “Thank you for your help, Miss Naylor.”

“You’re welcome dear. Have fun, now!”

~*~

“I’m so glad you changed your mind, Miss Wolf,” said Professor Willow as she typed at her computer. “I’m sure you and Electro will learn a lot from each other. Here you go. All set.”

She handed me my yellow Pokédex, which now had my Pokémon ID number and school picture in it. My mother had given me a cell phone, and McDonald’s gift card. My dad gave me an advance on my allowance – for the next ten years! I also had enough travelers’ food to last a couple weeks. I hated the idea of having to eat that stuff. I had wanted to take the train to the next town, but Electro wouldn’t hear of it.

 _“How are we going to catch Pokémon on a train?”_ he had asked indignantly, his paws crossed over his chest.

I hadn’t tried to sway him again.

“Thank you, Professor Willow.” I put the Pokédex in my pocket and whistled for Electro, who was bouncing up and down with excitement. He ran over and climbed onto my shoulder. “I’ll send you a postcard when I get to Viridian City. Let’s go, Electro.”

We were about a mile out of town when we ran into a Rattata. The feisty little rat actually started chattering at Electro. Of course my Pikachu didn’t take kindly to that and the battle began. The Rattata rushed forward and Bit Electro’s tail. Electro shook him off.

“Quick Attack!” I commanded. Electro moved like – well, like lightning – and knocked out the Rattata cold. Or so I thought. The creature pulled itself up and Growled. I threw a Pokéball without thinking about it. The ball glowed brightly and entrapped the Rattata. The ball only shook once or twice before it stopped. I had actually caught a Pokémon!

I took off my pack and got out a potion. Then I let the Rattata out. He growled at me for just a moment before allowing me to heal him. Then he rubbed against my hand and sighed. I looked at Electro.

“Does he have a name?” I asked.

Electro shook his head.

I thought a moment before I spoke. “I think I’ll call you Jerry,” I told the Rattata. “Is that okay with you?”

The Rattata looked at Electro. “Rat rata rattat rat?”

“Pikachu, pika pi.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know, it’d be really nice if you’d learn English. Is Jerry okay or not?”

The Rattata smiled and nodded happily. Electro must have told him about _Tom and Jerry._ I smiled back.

“Welcome to the team, Jerry. I’m Ash Wolf and this is Electro. I’m sure will be good friends.”

Electro, Jerry and I continued on for the next few hours. As the sun went down I sought the protective cover of a few trees and began to set up camp. My Pokémon partners helped gather firewood and I set about fixing dinner. Both Jerry and Electro dug into the trail mix (ugh!) while I ate the last roast beef sandwich I would have for a while. The fire was an ember when I finally crawled into my sleeping bag and drifted off to dream, my two Pokémon asleep at my feet.


	3. The Road to Viridian City

The next morning I awoke to the familiar sound of Pidgey singing. As it turned out there was a nest in the tree above us. Jerry’s ears twitched and he suddenly began to climb the tree. Electro jumped to his feet.

“Pika Pika! Chu!”

He ran after him and tried to bring him back. I couldn’t understand why. Jerry made his way out onto the branch and started to reach into the nest. But the mother Pidgey promptly sent him flying out of the tree. I managed to catch him and Electro leapt down beside us.

The Pidgey soared into the air with a screech. Two others came flying up and dive-bombed us. A large one Pecked Electro, who rolled to the ground and used Quick Attack. The Pidgey shook itself off and tried again. Jerry looked at me as he dodged. I gave the first command I could think of.

 _“Bite,_ Jerry!”

Jerry rushed into the fray and the Pidgey fell back. At once I threw a Pokéball, which wrapped the Pidgey in that golden light and ensnared it in its depths. The ball shook for only a moment and I had caught a Pidgey. I tucked the Pokéball into my pocket, gathered up my pack and sleeping bag and called my Pokémon.

“Come on, let’s get out of here!”

All three of us ran and didn’t stop for what felt like hours. By that time, we were all hungry and tired.

I noticed a boy leaning against a tree and walked over to talk with him. “Hello there,” I said. “You know how far it is to Viridian City?”

“You got about another hour’s travel ahead of you, stranger,” replied the boy, brushing aside his white-blond bangs. “You want to battle in the meantime?”

I would’ve walked away. I was tired and didn’t really feel like a trainer battle. But Electro gave me a hard look. I sighed. “Sure, why not?”

“Cool,” he replied. “Come out, Lavar!”

Out came a beautiful butterfly Pokémon. I thought as quickly as I could and gave my command to Electro.

“Thundershock!”

The Butterfree went down like a ton of bricks. The next Pokémon he sent out was a Pidgey. It struck with a Quick Attack. Electro rolled with the blow and leapt to the side.

“Thundershock!”

Down went the Pidgey. The boy laughed and got out his wallet.

“I should’ve known better than to challenge someone with a Pikachu,” he said, handing me a twenty. “You got skill, stranger. What’s your name?”

“Aisha Wolf. Friends call me Ash. And yours?”

“Ash _Wolf_?” he repeated, blinking his eyes for a moment. “Um, I’m Noir Lupine. I’m pleased to meet you. Can I escort you to Viridian?”

I looked down at Electro and Jerry. “What do you two think?”

They looked Noir up and down, and nodded.

“Okay, let’s get going then. I want to get these boys healed and have some lunch that isn’t freeze dried.”

“Understand the feeling. Eating trail food is like eating dog chow.”

“Dog chow?” I asked. “What, you actually ate it?”

“Once,” he replied, sliding his hands in his pockets. “Stuff is gross. So which of these two’s your starter?”

“You mean my first Pokémon? That’d be Electro here.”

All the while we walked and talked I was wishing this stranger hadn’t joined us. An hour was a few minutes to my wolf form. Noir was suitably named. He was dressed in black from head to toe, aside from a deep blue belt he wore. The leather jacket he held slung over one shoulder looked like dragon’s wings. His black pack seemed leather as well.

“Really into the black, aren’t you?” I asked.

He laughed. “Seems you’re into yellow just as much. Put us together and we make a Beedril.”

I shuddered. “Don’t even say that word! Those things give me the creeps.”

“Typical girl, afraid of bugs.”

“I am not!” I protested. “I love spiders, butterflies, and other such things. I just don’t like the ones that sting.”

“How old are you anyway?” asked Noir.

“Thirteen. You?”

“Fourteen. So, how long have you been at this?”

“Pokémon training? A few months, why?”

“You’re pretty good for a few months.”

“Thanks, you might be, too, if you hadn’t had the type disadvantage.”

“We’ll have to test that sometime.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “Maybe after Pewter City.”

“You’re going to have some work ahead of you to beat Brock. His team’s mostly fighting and ground.”

I sighed. “I know. I’m hoping to catch a few more Pokémon that will have a type advantage.”

We walked in silence for a while. Something was off about Noir. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but some sixth sense told me he was more than what he seemed. It made the hair on my neck stand on end. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to find out.

At last we arrived at gates of Viridian City. I turned to Noir and flashed him a smile. Electro and Jerry waved.

“We’ll see you around. Come on, boys. Let’s find the Pokémon Center.”

“I’ll join you. I got to get mine healed anyway.”

“Sure,” I replied, trying not to show how much I wished he’d go away. “But let’s get moving, shall we?”

“After you, my lady,” he said with a bow.

I was starting to like Noir less and less.

I had never been so glad to see a Pokémon Center in my life. Noir and I were promptly separated as two look-alike nurses helped us to the counter. When the nurse saw my name, she smiled and disappeared into a room behind the counter. She came back with a wrapped parcel in her hands.

“This arrived for you this morning,” she informed me. I took it warily, waiting until her back was turned before sniffing at it. Then I carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a note from Prof. Willow, and a map card for my PokéGear. “Miss Wolf? Your Pokémon are ready to go.”

I politely thanked the nurse and slipped out the door, hoping I would not be seeing Noir again anytime soon. With Electro at my heels, I headed for the nearest McDonald’s. I bought myself lunch then made my way to the park. Settling down in sheltered grove, I released the Pokémon and passed them each a bowl of trail mix. All three dug in, and I wolfed (no pun intended) down my cheeseburger. Afterwards, I shifted to speak with the Pidgey, which turned out to be a male.

“Uh, hi,” I said in common speech. “If you’d like to go home, it’s okay with me.”

“No! No! No!” cried the Pidgey. “Don’t send me back there to look after those brats! I’m begging you!”

Okay, now this was a weird conversation. Electro gave me a curious look. I shrugged. “You don’t want to go home to your family?” I asked.

“They’re my sister’s kids, I was just babysitting. And I am now HAPPY to be far away from them.”

I nodded. “Fine by me. You have a name?”

“No. You have one in mind for me?”

I had to think for a minute. For some reason, Pidgeot’s reminded me of hawks. And, if he was coming along on this journey, there was no doubt he’d end up one, which gave me an idea. “Tobias,” I said, “After the _Animorphs_ character. He’s strong, and you will be, too. Sound good?”

The Pidgey was ecstatic. “Thank you so much! Yay! I’m part of a team!”

“The _best_ team,” Electro informed him. “We’ll be Pokémon warriors!”

I had to smile as the three of them started discussing strategy and other factors of battling. So far it looked like I was on my way in this Pokémon trainer business.

It was later that evening that we reached the mouth of Route 22. I was just about to head out onto the trail when a voice called out my name. I spun around to see Noir running toward me. Electro glanced up at my tense expression then crouched defensively. The blond-haired boy was out of breath when he reached us. Hands on his thighs, he stood there panting a moment before he spoke up.

“I thought I’d missed you. You mind if I come along, as we’re both heading the same way?”

 _Yes,_ I thought bitterly. But I had no reason for these thoughts, just the nagging feeling that something was off about Noir. I looked down at Electo. I gave him the signal for ‘keep your eyes open’. He looked at Noir and nodded. Sighing, I returned my attention to the boy.

“It’s a free road,” I replied, adjusting my pack. “If you want to follow me I can’t stop you. I’m warning you though: you try anything and you’re a dead man. Plus, I’m not really great company.”

The scoundrel actually smiled.

“I’m sure we’ll get along just fine, Miss Wolf. Just like a pair of pack-mates.”

My eyes narrowed at the wolf reference. Shrugging, I returned my attention to the Route ahead. If I had my way, I’d lose Noir first chance I got. Until then, I’d pretend he wasn’t there.

The journey through the Viridian Forest was an eventful trip. There were numerous bug Pokémon, and an amazing number of trainers that both Noir and I battled. The supplies I’d stocked up on in Viridian were steadily wearing thin, but all three of my teammates were leveling up fast. When the day was over and we settled down for the night, Noir would set up his sleeping bag at one end, while I choose the other. More than once I considered trying to slip away in the dark, but his senses were almost as keen as my own. This just made me all the more wary of him. I could think of no reason why a fourteen-year-old boy would have developed that kind of senses. And to make matters worse, I couldn’t shift to discuss this with Electro. Save bathroom necessities Noir rarely left me alone.

“Do you have to hover so much?” I demanded of him one evening.

He just gave me this roughish smile and replied, “Am I now? I hadn’t noticed. I’ll try and give a fellow lone wolf her space.”

To be honest, his constant wolf references were getting on my nerves. For the first time I wondered if I had seemed like this to my family. Electro and the others, however, had no problem with him. Were my instincts wrong? They had never been before.

One night, though, something happened I would never forget. Electro stumbled across a small group of Pikachu and quickly made some new friends. I went looking for him as soon as I noticed he was gone, hampered slightly by Noir’s presence. We finally found them in a clearing under the stars, singing happily as one. I was a beautiful sight and one I still carry in my memories. Noir and I returned to camp without speaking, and Electro was there in the morning as if nothing happened.

That afternoon we reached Pewter City.


	4. Battle for the Boulder Badge

Pewter City didn’t really seem like one to me. There was a Pokémon Center, a PokéMart, a museum, a few houses, and the gym. If it was city, it was the smallest one I’d ever seen. I started for the Pokémon Center, with Noir at my heels like an annoying yap-yap dog. I’d given up trying to shake him; it was obvious that he was going to follow me no matter what I did.

After the Pokémon Center, I went to the store and bought as many potions are I could. With Brock being a Rock trainer, my trio would need all the help they could get. Electro was a solid level 20 now; Jerry and Tobias were both at level 15. I hoped I had at least at snowball’s chance in a California heatwave.

I walked into the Gym with Electro at my side, head held high. Noir chose to lean against the door, claiming he would rather watch from the sidelines. We got about three, four feet before a lone trainer walked out.

“You brought a Pikachu?” he scoffed. “You’ll never reach the leader that way. I doubt you’ll even get past me!”

Noir had the nerve to chuckle. Electro and I both glared at him. Then we returned our attention to the junior trainer. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and looked the boy up and down.

“Thunder’s just a noise, boy,” I told him. “Lightning does the work.”

As it turned out, the boy had a single level 8 Geodude. Electro used Tail Whip and he opened with Defense Curl. My Pikachu rolled his eyes. One solid Quick Attack later and the trainer was done. He shot me a defiant stare as he handed over our winnings.

“Wait until you face the leader!” he said. “He’s much stronger than me, and he’ll wipe the floor with your electric rat!”

Of course, Electro predictably shocked him. It was a short walk to the center of the gym. At the other end stood Brock, Leader of the Pewter City Gym. He nodded in greeting.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

“Whenever you are,” I replied.

Brock released another Geodude. It used Rock Throw, which Electro promptly dodged. Electro used Tackle, but took a hit when the Geodude used it as well. It was what my Pikachu and I referred to as the Boomerang Effect. We got lucky with a Critical Hit with Electro’s next Quick Attack, and the Geodude fainted.

Next out though, was Brock’s best: Onyx. I gave the order for Tail Whip, and Electro took another hit when Onyx used Tackle. I used a Potion on my Pikapal, who shot me a look.

I nodded. “Ok, Electro! On your own now, go!”

This was a command I only used when it was clear Electro had a plan. He had an instinctive knack for battles, and could come up with a strategy in seconds. At times like this, it was best to trust him. Brock looked surprised at my order. Noir, though, was used to seeing it. It hadn’t failed yet.

Electro began to dodge, leading the Onyx around the gym in circles. I could only guess that this plan came from one of the televised battles he had seen. He had one up on me, as he knew most of the Leaders’ strategies. At some signal I missed, Electro aimed a Thundershock attack at Onyx.

_Ok, what is he doing? Even I know Electric attacks are useless against Ground types._

On top of it all he missed – the bolt went over all our heads. It hit one of the small metal objects in the ceiling, setting off the fire sprinklers. In seconds, we were all drenched. Then I realized he hadn’t missed at all. The Onyx groaned as Electro hit it with a Quick Attack. It crashed to the ground, and one of those announcers called an end to the match.

Brock sauntered over to us with a grin. “Only ever had that happen once, and the trainer didn’t do it on purpose. Good use of the environment,” he said, handing over the badge, a TM, and our winnings. “You have one smart Pokémon.”

“Well, he watches more TV battles than I do,” I told him, shaking myself slightly in an attempt to rid myself of the water. “He most likely saw that match. Who was the trainer?”

“Ash Ketchum,” replied the Gym Leader. He looked over at Noir. “Say, a cute girl like you have a boyfriend?”

 _The boy with the Pikachu,_ I thought before the rest of his words registered. Then I bristled. “No,” I replied firmly. “And I’m _not_ taking applications.”

Brock held up his hands in surrender as Electro growled. “I get the message. Well, it was nice meeting you, Miss…”

“Aisha Wolf,” I replied. “You, too. Well, we should be going. Thank you for the match.”

“You’re very welcome,” replied the Leader. “Good luck on your journey. You and your Pikachu make a good team.”

“His name’s Electro.”

With that we left the gym and headed for the Pokémon Center. It was time to get ready for the next leg of our journey: Mt. Moon.


	5. At The Base of Mt. Moon

My pack, and Noir’s, was significantly heavier when we left the city, loaded down with batteries, a flashlight, and enough potions to hopefully last through the maze of caverns that made up Mt. Moon. Noir was back to doing his yap-yap impression, and I was considering trying to lose him in the caverns. Electro kept shooting him glares. He still hadn’t forgiven him for laughing at us in the gym battle.

The full moon was hanging over us in the sky when we first noticed we weren’t alone. Shadowing us were several dark forms, their eyes glowing like golden coals. Their shapes alone told me what they were: wolves. I had never encountered true wolves before – they were supposed to be extinct, though you still heard about sightings now and then.

Noir actually fell silent, his eyes darting this way and that as we came to a fork in the trail. He pushed me toward the right one, whispering, “Go!” as he kept his eyes on the lupines. “Both these paths lead to the Pokémon Center. I’ll meet you there. Run!” And then he was gone, running down the left trail.

I turned to Electro and nodded. Together we bolted down the right path. The only reason I was listening to Noir is every instinct I had told me I had to get away. There was great danger here. It took the pack a moment to realize, and then they were on our heels. A well-timed leap gave me a few minutes reprieve: just long enough for me to switch the straps on my pack so they crossed my chest and to shift. The only chance I had was my wolf form; I might be able to outrun the true wolves. Electro kept pace with me despite the fact that he was faster that I could ever be. But there was a downside to shifting.

I could understand every word they said. Hear how they planned to rip me limb from limb. How much they hated me, for what I was. I never would have guessed true wolves would hold a prejudice against shifters, but it from what I heard they did. My lungs were burning as I pushed myself to limits I didn’t know I had. My heart was pounding in my chest.

Then it happened: I ran right into a high ledge. I only just stopped myself from crashing into it. It was too high to jump. We were trapped. As one Electro and I spun to face the advancing pack. They were just as winded as I was, their tongues dangling from their jaws. Their eyes burned with a fevered passion as they circled us. Our eyes met, Electro and I, and in that moment we knew: if we were going down, we were going down together.

But before the wolves could strike, a huge black shape landed between the pack and us. It reared, spreading large dragon-like wings so it looked even more massive. As soon as I truly looked at it, I saw it was a huge black wolf more than twice my size. Around its neck hung a blue collar, and the only think that kept it from being pure black was a white-blond tuft of hair between its ears. The color spread to the top of its ruff. But it couldn’t be a wolf, as no wolf had wings. Then it spoke.

_“These creatures are with me. They are not trespassing; they are passing through. Show them some courtesy and let them go.”_

The leader snarled. _“Hybrid scum like you deserves no such treatment! I know who you are, unrecognized son of the Queen. You are no better than that mongrel behind you, crouched like a frightened hare.”_

I growled. I wasn’t cowering. The creature glared at me with bright, blue-green eyes. I fell silent. The goal was to get out alive.

_“She’s a Pokémon Trainer, as I am. Trainers pass through here all the time. This is no different.”_

_“You mean, creatures like her slave over there?”_ demanded the leader, nodding at Electro. _“First the dragons enslave us, now the humans do the same to these poor creatures.”_

 _“I’m not a slave!”_ snapped Electro, bristling. _“Ash is my friend! You keep away from her!”_

 _“Your friend?”_ scoffed the wolf. _“You’re as pathetic as the rest.”_

_“We will be gone from your land by morning, I swear, Bailey. Now let us go in peace.”_

The wolves growled, but the leader sighed. _“Fine! Just see that you don’t pass through here again. Next time we won’t be merciful.”_

Slowly the wolves faded into the darkness.

The creature turned to me. _“Come. I know a place where you’ll be safe for the night.”_ After a short walk to a secluded rock-formation, the creature stopped. _“Wait here,”_ he said. _“I have to go find your traveling companion.”_

I sat down calmly, Electro at my side. Then I spoke at last.

_“Why would you go looking for yourself?”_


	6. Shifter Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I go back and smack my past self, please? *groans*

**_Noir’s Point of View_ **

I froze at her words. What had she said? How? _“What are you talking about?”_ I snapped, more surprised than angry.

She was just sitting there, watching me. Her too-wise Pikachu’s eyes watched our interaction warily.

_“Why would you look for yourself, Noir? More importantly, why didn’t you tell me what you were?”_

She was angry; I could sense it. No matter how calm she pretended to be, she was furious with me. And I could see why, but I still couldn’t stop myself from saying what I thought.

 _“How on Earth did you figure out_ this _is_ me _? And if we’re casting stones, why didn’t_ you _tell_ me _?”_

 _“Because I didn’t know what you were, and because I’ve never told anyone except my family. Who, I might add, don’t believe me, anyway.”_ She replied, answering the second question first. _“And I know it’s you because of your colors. I get mine from my clothes, and you dress in black, have blond hair, and wear a blue belt. Plus that leather you carry looks just like those wings. Your turn: Why didn’t you tell me?”_

I looked away. This wasn’t a topic I had ever wanted to speak of, but she deserved an answer. _“You’re half right: This is my true form, not that human one. My clothes and the jacket just mimic my fur and wings. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure you knew what you were. Until I saw you shift tonight.”_

 _“Is that because you’re a male?”_ she asked, her face a mask of confusion.

 _“No,”_ I replied. This made less and less sense. _“You mean your father never told you about these things when you told him you could shift?”_

_“My dad… died a long time ago. Mom remarried, though. I have an elder step-sister.”_

Ah, that explained it. I understood that burden all too well. _“I shouldn’t have asked. My father is dead as well; but most likely for different reasons that yours.”_

Aisha was quiet, whether she was thinking over my words or reflecting on her loss I couldn’t tell.

“ _So,”_ said Electro, _“How come you have wings and Ash doesn’t?”_

I almost laughed at the eager light in his Trainer’s eyes. Clearly it was something she’d wondered as well, but was too polite to ask. _“Because my mother was a dragon shifter, but my father was a wolf.”_

_“That wolf, the one you called Bailey – he said that wolves were slaves of the dragons. Those weren’t true wolves, were they?”_

_“No,”_ I answered. _“They were shifters. They choose to live as wolves, rather than masquerade as humans. And yes, wolves are often servants of the dragons. My father was the bodyguard of their Queen.”_

She sat there, chewing that over as I would a bone. Then her eyes widened. _“How did, I mean, why did, why did your father die?”_

She just had to ask the tough question. The only one I didn’t want to answer. But honestly, she deserved to know, though maybe I could get as much out of this as she would. _“How about a trade? I’ll tell you my story if you tell me yours.”_

She was silent for so long that I was sure she would refuse. And then, she spoke. _“Deal. But you first.”_

I nodded. _“Allow me to take you back fifteen years, to when the Dragon Queen was a young princess, and her bodyguard was her best friend…”_ I sighed as I thought about how to explain. My mother’s people were very old fashioned. Would this human-reared girl understand? _“It would be a good idea if we both shift to human first. You don’t really have the stamina yet to hold that form long, do you?”_

 _“I’ve never tried to,”_ she replied. _“But I’d rather Electro be able to say what he thinks, too.”_

I sighed again. _“Fair enough. Listen carefully, because I only want to tell this once.”_

They both nodded. And so I began.

“My mother, Beryl, was born to the dragon king and queen. My grandparents had wanted children for years, but she was the only one to live. And so she was very precious to them; she insured their line would continue to rule and prosper. She was betrothed to a fine young dragon, whose name I shall not say as it makes me queasy. My father, Damon, was appointed her guardian from the time she was born. He was a puppy then, and it was quite an honor to be chosen for this role.

“My mother grew up as any spoiled princess would: she was pampered and given her way so many times that she never dreamed she would be refused anything. Though they tried to teach her obedience, she was doted on so much that the lessons often fell on deaf ears. Only her best friend, my father Damon, could tell her no and get away with it, except her parents.

“She told me stories of playing hide-and-seek with my father, how she made daisy chains for him, which he wore good-naturedly. And as they grew older the closer they became. She never liked her betrothed, and avoided him at all costs. She often confessed these feelings to Damon.

“One night they ruined everything my grandparents had built for her: Damon confessed his feeling for her, she hers for him. Beryl had never been denied something once she told her parents she wanted it. So she was very surprised when she told her parents she wished to marry Damon. They forbid her to ever see him again.

“My father was thrown out of the castle to fend for himself. But no one knew there was a secret way out my mother’s room. No one except the star-crossed lovers. And so it was that Beryl stole away from her home, determined to run away with Damon and live together forever. And they would have made it, had not her betrothed spotted them as they left the grounds. He went after them, not even bothering to tell her parents.

“There was a great fight between my father and the dragon. Hidden from the humans, the battle was bloody and cruel. At last, the dragon threw Damon to the ground. He was going in for the kill when my mother got between them. She pleaded with him to spare my father. She offered to return with him willingly, and never leave again. He shoved her away.

“‘No. So long as this mongrel lives he claims your heart. And that belonged to me since your birth.’

“With those words, he ended my father’s life. Then he dragged my mother back to the castle. She seemed ill for months afterward, and then I came along. The dragon, who was now her husband, made her a deal: I could live so long as she never allowed me out where others could see, and told no one I existed. She agreed. And so I grew up, without playmates, just my mother. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“But then my brother was born. Son of the dragon who killed my father, and the only son that was _recognized_ of the future ruler, he became the heir apparent. And I became a liability.

“The other castle wolves heard my mother’s mate talking, and warned her that he intended to kill me. They did not blame her for Damon’s death. And so I was smuggled out with them, while the remains of an intruder were shown to the future king. As far as he knows, I’m dead. And it has to stay that way. I will never see my mother again.”


	7. The Moon Stone Ceremony

_**Back to Ash's POV.** _

I didn’t know what to say. It was so sad. It was no wonder Noir acted like he did; he wasn’t used to interacting with others. I wished I hadn’t asked, but on the other hand, I was glad I knew. Electro looked from one of us to the other, before he walked over and patted Noir’s paw.

 _“It’s your turn now,”_ he reminded me when I didn’t speak. _“When did you find out you could shift?”_

It seemed he was more interested in me than the fact I hadn’t said anything. Ok, then. _“When I was nine. And I, I shouldn’t have asked about your past. I wish I could –”_

He smiled. _“There’s nothing you can do about. Just tell me your story, and we’ll call it even. Ok?”_

I nodded. _“Anyway, I’ve always been a wolf freak, and I used to pretend I was one when I was little. One day, though, it seemed just so real. I was running and it felt so wonderful. I was FREE. Then I came to a creek and looked down at my reflection. And guess what I saw?”_

Noir chuckled. _“A very surprised yellow and white wolf with a rainbow collar?”_ he asked.

I laughed with him and nodded. _“It took me I don’t know how long to figure out how to change back. Then I had to figure out how to do it again. Once I knew how it worked I told my parents and sister. They didn’t believe me. And when I thought about it, if they HAD believed me, I might’ve been sent away. So I mostly let it go.”_

Noir nodded, as did Electro. I had never thought to tell him all this.

_“Then what happened?”_

This time it was Electro who prompted me.

I smiled. _“I had read about wolves all my life. And I started to notice that my reactions were becoming less human and more wolf-like. I started getting into trouble: schoolyard scuffles, and I was late a lot. My internal clock seemed to have been reset, and I preferred night to day. I also found it harder to respect some of my teachers when they clearly didn’t deserve it. Some of them were more interested in sports than teaching, and the study hall teacher let the class just do whatever they wanted.”_

Noir tilted his head in a dog-like fashion. _“So you had no one to explain this to you? Just instinct and trial and error?”_

I shrugged. _“Pretty much. Then Sasha, my sister, set up this Pokémon journey thing, and I met Electro here. You already know most of that. Except the fact he and I usually train with me like this. I show him my moves and he shows me his. Works pretty well so far.”_

Noir smiled. Then he scratched.

I had to laugh.

 _“What?”_ he demanded, pausing with his back paw on his shoulder.

_“You look so silly!”_

He stood and crouched low in a play bow. _“Oh, yeah? Well, I’d like to see some of_ your _moves. I bet I can take you! Or are you too scared?”_

I grinned. _“You asked for it,”_ I replied, shifting long enough to remove my pack. _“Bring it on, flyboy!”_

We ended up more or less playing tag around the clearing. Electro fell over laughing at us, but we were having too much fun. I found my distrust of Noir had vanished, though why I couldn’t say. It most likely because now I knew what he was, and why something had seemed off about him. Finally we rolled over in the grass, panting, and looked up at the stars.

 _“The moon is so beautiful,”_ I noted. _“Maybe it’s a wolf thing, but I love the full moon.”_

 _“It_ is _a ‘wolf thing’. My father’s people celebrate nights like this: for on full moon nights there is light in an otherwise dark existence. We are children of the night, and most at home in the shadows.”_

I thought about what he said, and then I asked a question.

_“What did your parents look like, Noir?”_

_“Here, I’ll show you.”_

He got up and shifted, then reached for his belt – or rather, his collar. There was a small snap-pocket on it, and from this he withdrew a locket on a chain. He snapped it open and held it out to me. I shifted to take it. Inside were two pictures: one showed a young boy with green eyes, and copper-colored hair. With the boy was a girl; she had blue eyes and jet-black hair. The other picture showed a black dragon, her eyes the same blue, and a green-eyed copper wolf. The pictures clearly showed both forms.

“You look like them,” I said, handing him back the locket. “Though I’m surprised no one objected to the second picture.”

“No one knows about it except Mother and Father, and well, me,” he told me, returning it to the pocket. “What about you? You have any photos of your parents?”

I nodded and got my pack. I withdrew a photo Mom insisted I take with me, though I wouldn’t have left it behind anyway. It showed the three of us when I was two. But as I held it out to Noir, another picture fell out. This one showed me at three with a brown, wolf-like dog. Then I froze.

I had never looked closely at this picture before: It had just been on my bookshelf for years. Mom had told me to take it, too, so I did. She always told me that it had been my dad’s dog, and that it had died in the hunting accident with my father.

But when you put the two pictures side by side, the resemblance between them was the same as the wolf and the boy in Noir’s locket. Its fur was the same rich-brown color as my father’s hair and slacks. Its underside was white like his shirt, and it had the same golden-brown eyes. Noir looked up at me with understanding.

“You never knew did you?” he asked softly.

I shook my head. “All my life, I’ve been told that was my father’s pet; that they were both killed in a hunting accident. But that’s not true: they were one and the same. Did Mom know what Daddy was, or did she really believe that it was his dog? If she knew, then why didn’t she believe me?”

Noir was looking at the picture of my parents. “Did you ever talk to her, alone? Or did she ever try to speak with you?” he asked, his tone still gentle.

I thought about it. “Once or twice, she wanted to talk when Dad and Sasha went shopping or something. I was too upset to talk to her, and kind of brushed her off. Finally she just asked Dad and Sasha not to tease me anymore.”

“She knew,” Noir replied. “She believed you. She just couldn’t say so in front of the rest of your family. The shifters have been in hiding too long, and she would know to protect the secret. Why do you have this picture?” He was pointing to the one of the “dog” and me.

“Mom told me to take it. I’ve never looked at them both together before.” I found tears in my eyes. “She wanted me to know. I should’ve listened to her before. Oh, I am such an –”

“Stop!” Noir commanded. “What you are is a _pup_ , and it is the nature of the pup to rebel and learn from its mistakes. When you see her again, you can talk to her about it. She’ll understand.”

I thought briefly of the cell phone. I could call her once we reached Cerulean City. I smiled. “Thanks. I needed that.”

He returned the grin. “Anytime.”

“Pika! Pika pika chu chu!”

We both looked over at Electro. He was pointing toward Mt. Moon. Slowly we stood up and looked at each other. Then Noir turned to Electro and growled softly, breaking it up with a couple barks. If I hadn’t been so worried the pack had returned I would have laughed. Then it hit me: He could still use common speech in human form!

Noir smiled and took my hand. “Come on, you have to see this!” he said, tugging me along through the trees. I tried to protest but it was no use.

We came to a break in the foliage through which you could see the peak of Mt. Moon. There in a circle was a small crowd of pink Pokémon, dancing around a flat rock on which stood three pink round ones. Noir shot me his roughish grin and whispered, “Shift.”

I obeyed, though I don’t know why. Through my wolf’s ears, I could hear what they were singing. And it was so beautiful.

**Author’s Intrusion: The song she heard is the “Song of Jigglypuff” from the Pokémon 3 Soundtrack. I suggest playing it.**

All at once the singing stopped and all the Pokémon turned and looked our way. It was then that I noticed something: Electro was snoring! They must have been using the Sing attack. And now they knew we were here. Oh, boy. I turned and looked up at Noir.

 _“Should we run?”_ I asked.

He just smiled. “No, they won’t hurt us. News of our run-in with the pack has most likely spread by now. And anyone who _isn’t_ friends with the pack is a friend of theirs. Just wait and see.”

As it turned out he was right. A few moments later a Jigglypuff and a Clefairy walked over and invited us to join them. We agreed.

 _“Tonight is a very special night,”_ the Clefairy told us. _“Three of our number is leaving Mt. Moon to see the world. We would like the three of you to participate in the ceremony.”_

All the Pokémon gathered in a circle, telling stories of the world beyond Mt. Moon and the dangers that lay ahead. Electro started up a conversation with one young Clefairy and its Jigglypuff best friend. Electro’s tales of our travels – which I think he over-exaggerated – fascinated them. I just shook my head.

 _“Tonight, my kindred,”_ said the Lead Clefairy, whose name was Deku, _“Three of our own will evolve and seek out their fortune in world. As such, they are gifted with new names as they leave childhood behind. I ask now that these chosen three step forward.”_

As it turned out, one of the three was the Clefairy Electro had been chatting with. One by one they walked up to their elders. It was astounding to see the same Pokémon grow in size in an instant. According to Noir, their evolutionary form wasn’t much stronger than their basic one. But when they reached Electro’s little Clefairy friend, she backed away.

 _“I don’t want to evolve yet,”_ she said. _“I’d like to go with them, if it’s okay? And could Jiggly come too?”_

Deku looked at Electro and I.

 _“Would you consider them joining your team?”_ he asked.

I looked at Electro pointedly. _“Just what did you tell them, anyway?”_ I growled before turning back to Deku. _“I don’t see why not, if that’s what they want to do. It’s okay with me. What say you, Electro?”_

The Pikachu nodded happily. _“Always room for more,”_ he replied.

 _“Very well,”_ said Deku. _“Let it be know that these two will be joining AshWolf and Electro on their journey. Take these stones with you that you may evolve when you see fit. I leave it to you, AshWolf, to choose their adult names. What new names do you give them?”_

I thought about this for a moment. Both were female and thick as thieves. And both were chatterboxes. I smiled.

 _“I’ll call you Navi,”_ I told the Clefairy, then turned to the Jigglypuff. _“And you will be Saria.”_

And that’s how we ended up with two new members of our team.


	8. Star Struck

“Thanks, Mom,” I said as I leaned against the outside of the Pokémon Center waiting for Noir. “I’m glad you understand. I’ll call again soon. I love you. Tell Dad and Sasha I said hi.”

I sighed with relief as I hung up my phone. With the assistance of Navi and Saria we had had no trouble navigating the maze of Mt. Moon, so we reached Cerulean City in record time. And as soon as I could I called my mom. It was the best conversation we’d had in a long time.

“Everything all right?” asked Noir as he came out the door. He had decided to pick up his other four Pokémon while we were in town.

I smiled at him and nodded. “Mom’s fine. We really couldn’t talk, you know, but I think she understood.”

“Glad to hear it,” he said. “Well, I bet Electro’s more than ready to hit the gym… or maybe not.”

I looked down as I felt Electro pulled on my pants leg. He was chattering at me and pointing at another trainer coming down the street. At the trainer’s side was a Pikachu.

“So what’s he talking about?” I asked Noir.

“He wants to go meet the Pikachu and its trainer,” he replied. “That’s about all I can get out of him – he’s talking too fast.”

I sighed. Here we went again. “Ok, Electro. Let’s go talk to them.”

Much to my surprise, my Pika-pal didn’t want to battle straight away. Instead, he stood there with him eyes wide, staring at the other Pikachu.

I decided to break the ice. “Hi,” I said, holding out my hand. “I’m Aisha Wolf and this is Electro. Friends call me Ash.”

“Hey there,” replied the black-haired boy who looked about my age. “I’m Ash Ketchum, and this is Pikachu.”

I froze. No wonder Electro was staring like an idiot – this was his hero and his trainer!

“Um, I think Electro wants Pikachu’s autograph,” I said, recovering myself. Noir was disguised his laughter as a cough. “You two are the whole reason we’re out here, Mr. Ketchum. Pleased to meet you.”

“You’re kidding, right?” laughed Ketchum. “You aren’t honestly out here just because of us?”

I shook my head. “No kidding. Ever since he saw your match with Lt. Surge Electro he’s been on my case to start this journey. He wants to be just as good as your Pikachu, apparently.” I glanced down as Electro snorted and folded his paws across his chest. “Or better,” I added reluctantly.

“Wow,” replied Ketchum. “That match was over three years ago. I never would have thought it would have _this_ effect on another Pokémon.”

Abruptly the two Pikachu began chattering rather loudly. Whatever they were saying had Noir grinning. They leapt back and crouched in front of each other, sparks crackling in the air. If they hadn’t been smiling I would have been just a little scared.

I sighed. “I know that look,” I said, shaking my head. I turned to Ketchum and asked, “You got time for a match?”

Ketchum grinned. “Sure!” he replied. “But how about we make it Sudden Death – just Electro vs. Pikachu? You were probably headed for the gym, and you want to be on your toes with Misty.”

I rolled my eyes and waved a hand at Electro. “I’m not really worried about facing the Water Gym,” I told him. “Sure, just these boys – fine with me. Whenever you’re ready.”

At that moment Noir broke in. “Um, not to rain on your parade, guys,” he said, “but you might want to take this to the park. I mean, just so you don’t short-circuit anything.”

Both Ketchum and I laughed along with our Pokémon. When we had recovered, we nodded and started down the street.

As it turned out Cerulean didn’t have a park. Instead, Ketchum led us to a bridge outside of town. There were a handful of trainers cooling their heels when we arrived, but they were happy to give us room when we told them what was going on. They hurried to the other side and settled down in the grass to watch, passing around the snacks they’d been munching on.

Noir winked at me before going to join the spectators. “Give ‘em hell, you wolf,” he said as he passed Electro and I. “Give ‘em hell, and then some!”

I rolled my eyes and focused on Ketchum and his Pokémon. Unless Electro had something up his sleeve, I couldn’t see how this would end well. Even I knew that Ketchum had the level advantage here, and the Pikachus would cancel each other out in the type department. Regardless I also knew there was no way Electro would pass up this chance. Sparks flew from both Pokémon as we took up positions on opposite ends of the bridge.

Ketchum turned his baseball cap around and smiled. “You ready?” he called out as his Pikachu crouched in front of him.

In answer, I whipped my hair back into a ponytail and nodded. I was as ready as I’d ever be. Electro was already crouched and smiling.

“Ok, Pikachu. Quick Attack!”

“Dodge it!”

Pikachu moved so fast I couldn’t follow the attack. Electro ducked and rolled; Pikachu’s momentum carried him into the guard ropes, rocking the bridge. Both Ketchum and I fought to keep our footing.

“Thundershock!”

We had both given the command at the same time. I couldn’t even call what happened next a Boomerang Effect. The attacks met mid-air and sparks flew far and wide, causing the spectators to back away. There was no way around it; Pikachu was just too fast. We had only one chance at slowing him down, and I had no idea if it would even work.

“Body Slam!” called Ketchum, and his Pokémon rushed to comply.

“Electro, Thunder Wave!”

It was our only hope; if it hit the attack was almost guaranteed to Paralyze. But to my complete surprise Electro disregarded the order. He jumped up and Growled at his opponent. The impact as the Pokémon crashed together knocked both Ketchum and I off our feet. They rolled apart and stood facing each other, static filling the air.

“Pikachu, hit him with Thunder!”

Ketchum wasn’t even standing yet, but he knew enough to act fast. However, while Thunder was a powerful attack, its accuracy made it far from a sure thing. Electro wouldn’t even learn it; we both agreed it was almost useless.

“Thunder Wave, Electro! NOW!”

He had the sense to listen this time; but the attack went wide as Pikachu struck. I just had time to see my Pikapal go rolling across the bridge before a sharp pain spread through my body and everything went black.


	9. The Second Gym Battle

“Dang it all, Ash Ketchum!” shouted a voice not too far from me. “Can’t you ever turn down a match? You have no sense at all, taking on a newbie trainer and her starter! You idiot!”

“Ok, ok, Misty! I get it! Would you please get off my case? I feel bad enough already!”

“You should!”

I didn’t open my eyes right away; my first instinct had always been to take stock with my other senses first. I could hear four people shuffling around, and smell a sickly aroma that reminded me of a hospital. But another scent was right beside me – Noir’s. I could also tell there was a bright light above me somewhere. I opened my eyes slowly, and then covered them again. I’d been right about the light, at least.

“Ow,” I complained. “Can we tone the glare down, please?”

Noir’s familiar laugh greeted my request. “I knew you’d wake up on your own,” he said, still laughing. “It took a great deal of talking to keep them from trying the smelling salts, though.”

I forced my eyes open again and glared at him. “Is there _anything_ you don’t find amusing?” I demanded. “Stop sniggering and tell me where I am, you nut-case!”

“The Pokémon Center,” he told me. “You got hit with Electro’s Thunder Wave and blacked out.”

“I figured the last part out for myself, thanks,” I said irritably. “Where’s Electro? Is he all right?”

But he didn’t have to answer – at that moment a yellow comet collided with my side. Electro was chattering faster than I had ever heard him, and clinging to me as if he’d never let go.

“If I could translate,” Noir said, looking me in the eye for a brief second. “I’d say your partner here thought he’d lost you.”

I hugged Electro back and ruffled his head tuft. “I’m okay, pal,” I told him. “No blood, no foul.”

“If he’d listened to you the first time it wouldn’t have happened,” Noir snapped, standing. “That was a completely stupid stunt to pull.”

“Leave him alone, Noir. So he goofed. You told me you have to learn from your mistakes, remember?”

“That kind of mistake could have killed you!”

Suddenly two different voices started laughing. I remembered the people I’d heard and looked up to see Ketchum standing with a nurse and a redhead about his age. The nurse merely smiled.

“You know,” said Ketchum with a grin, “they say when two people fight…”

“They really care about each other,” finished the redhead, laughing.

Noir and I both froze and looked away from each other. The girl just giggled as Ketchum smirked.

“Well, at least you’re up,” she said. “Hi, I’m Misty.”

“Oh, right, the Gym Leader. Hi,” I replied. “I’m Aisha Wolf, this is Electro, and Mr. Doom-and-Gloom over here is Noir.”

“We’ve met. Don’t worry, I already told Ash what an idiot he is,” Misty said, elbowing Ketchum in the ribs.

I glanced down to see Pikachu roll his eyes, and then hold up two fingers in a peace sign. I laughed.

“Yeah, Pikachu, we’re cool.” I shot Ketchum a grin. “Likewise with you. As I said, no blood, no foul.”

Ketchum nodded. “Misty’s right, though. I should’ve said no.”

I got up off the cot, swaying just a little. Noir reached out and steadied me, then let go immediately. I looked at him curiously, and then shrugged it off. Electro was at my side in an instant. I rolled my eyes.

“It wouldn’t have stopped Electro,” I told him. “He thinks he’s a Pokémon Warrior. Which reminds me, are we clear for a gym battle?”

Noir looked at me incredulously. “Are you insane?” he demanded. “You just came to. I won’t –”

“Won’t _what?_ Who do you think you are?” I sighed and turned to the other occupants in the room. “Could you give us minute here, please?”

“Sure,” said Misty and Ketchum at once. “Meet you in the lobby.”

The nurse just nodded; she told me she was glad I felt better as they left. I waited until I was sure they were gone before I rounded on Noir.

“Look, I appreciate the concern, but you don’t run my life, Lupine.”

He raised his chin and looked me straight in the eye. Something in his gaze chilled me to the bone, though I refused to flinch. He smirked.

“Go ahead and pretend you’re not scared,” he said so softly I could just hear it. He was amused. “You can’t fool me; I know the aroma well.”

I couldn’t help it; my eyes widened. He could _smell_ fear, in _human_ form? Whoa. I recovered and put my hands on my hips.

“What’s _with_ you?” I asked. “One minute you’re teasing me, the next you’re trying to boss me around.”

“It’s my place to look after you,” he said simply, putting his hands in his pockets. “End of story.”

“Who died and made you King?” I demanded angrily.

Noir’s gaze turned ice cold; like a flurry becoming a blizzard. His hands clenched in his pockets. I’d never seen that look on a human face; it was the same look a cat gives a mouse before the kill.

Only a second passed before I realized what I’d said. I took a step back without thinking.

He didn’t budge even though his stare followed the movement. He sighed; the look in his eyes returned to the familiar camaraderie they’d held since Mt. Moon. “Ash,” he said gently. “Do you really think I’d hurt you?”

“No,” I said instantly. “I mean, if you wanted to you already would have. Or you could have let Bailey and his pals have me.”

“Then why are you afraid?”

“You were _trying_ to scare me, weren’t you?”

Electro nodded in agreement. He glared at Noir.

“No.” He tilted his head in a canine fashion. “Why would I do that?”

I shook my head in confusion. He wasn’t making sense.

“Noir, would you _please_ tell me what’s going on here?” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “You give me look that could freeze flames, point out you _smell_ my fear, and then ask me why I’m scared.”

“Pika, pi pi PIKACHU!!”

Noir chuckled. “And if I ever do it again, Electro’s going to shock me from here to Kingdom Come,” he said smiling. “I wasn’t trying to frighten you, Ash. But people usually _are_ afraid when they meet me – everyone except for you, until today. Conflicting instincts are the mark of a hybrid.”

“Bailey didn’t seem too scared,” I pointed out. “He hated you.”

“Yeah, right,” said Noir, moving so he was standing right in front of me. “It’s pretty to common to hate what you fear.”

“Oh,” I said intelligently. “So what _were_ you trying to do then?”

“There can be only one leader in a pack,” he said too low for anyone outside the room to hear. “But you’re right; I have no right to stop you from battling. I’ll just have to take care of you if you pass out again.” He went to the door, opened it, and then stood holding it ajar. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”

I slowly walked over to him, Electro on my heels. He strode through the door, turned and held it open for me. At times Noir reminded me of an old-fashion gentleman. I sighed and followed.

“We’re a pack?” I asked in a whisper.

He smiled at me, and it was all warmth. Talk about 180’s. “Last I heard that’s it’s called when a couple lone wolves team up,” Noir replied. “Though I suppose put together we only make one, huh?”

I didn’t say anything as we walked down the hall. Noir had, whether he knew it or not, given me a lot to sift through.

Sometimes I forgot my companion wasn’t like me. There was nothing human about Noir except his form. He thought in ways that I would never completely understand. It had never occurred to me to think of us as a pack; we were just friends. Now I realized I should have known that was how he would see it. There were a few problems with that.

One: the two wolves he had mentioned usually became mates, and I had no interest in belonging to anyone. Noir was a good friend; the kind of person you want in your corner. I trusted him as much as I had ever trusted anyone outside my family and Electro. But that was it, at least for me.

Two: as he had said, there is just one Pack Leader; he clearly thought he held that position. And I wasn’t going to let anyone outside my parents make decisions for me. No way, no how, ain’t happening.

Only, I didn’t know what he would do should I have to confront him. He had backed down this time; apparently anything to do with my Pokémon Journey was outside what he considered his authority. But what if we ever clashed about something he _did_ think he had a say in?

While I wasn’t afraid of Noir, I was just a little worried that I didn’t know the answer.

The Cerulean Gym had all the ambience of a public indoor pool. A smell I guessed to be chlorine gave me a headache almost instantly. It must have shown on my face because Misty looked at me worriedly.

“We could do this later,” she offered as she took her place at one end of the gym.

“Thanks,” I said, shaking my head, “but unless we can take it outside it won’t make any difference. Doesn’t the chlorine harm the Pokémon?”

“Sorry; you caught me on a cleaning day. But it’s not chlorine,” she informed me, looking a little embarrassed. “It’s a special blend that’s Water Pokémon friendly. It keeps them healthy. Reeks though.”

“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “Don’t blame me if I try to rush this; the smell is murder on my head.”

Misty smiled. “Let’s get started then; come out, Staryu!”

This was the first stroke of luck I’d had all day; as I had said to Ketchum, this was the Water Gym – and Electro had a type advantage. I threw a grin at Misty.

“Thundershock, Electro,” I commanded.

And sure enough, down went the Staryu. Misty looked just barely distressed; it was clear she cared about her Pokémon. But she was a Gym Leader, and recovered quickly, sending out a Goldeen. I sighed and gave the same order; down went the Goldeen. To my surprise, Misty was grinning.

“I saved the best for last. Come out, Quagsire!”

This wasn’t a name I was familiar with; stunned, I watched as she released what appeared to be some sort of otter crossed with a dinosaur. I gave the command a third time, waiting for the new Pokémon to fall.

Nothing happened. _What?_

“Hydro Pump!”

At least this was an attack I knew; like Thunder, its power didn’t make up for the lack of accuracy.

“Electro, dodge it!”

My Pikachu rolled to the side as I racked my brain for a way to beat a Water Pokémon that was clearly resistant to Electric attacks. It had to be part Ground, which meant we were up a creek without a paddle; only Tobias was immune to Ground attacks. Seven hells. Maybe if we could lower its defense we’d have a chance. “Tail Whip, Electro!”

Thank Heaven, the attack worked. But there was no way to know how far it had lowered the stat; I had no idea what’s its defense even was. It also left Electro vulnerable. Misty’s next strike was a Water standard: Surf. My poor Pikapal hit the wall as the wave swept right into him. We needed a plan and fast; otherwise we were going down. Electro got back on his feet and crouched, looking to me for orders. Great, he didn’t know what to do, either.

“Quick Attack!”

It was our best bet; we couldn’t risk another Tail Whip, and nothing else in Electro’s arsenal would affect a Ground type. Misty’s secret weapon took the blow with barely a shake of its head.

The Gym Leader shot me a smile. “Earthquake, Quagsire!”

Uh-oh. There was no dodging this one; the entire gym rocked with the attack and Electro was down for the count. Reluctantly I released Tobias. I thought hard, trying to come up of even one of his attacks that might work on this thing. There had to be _something_. “Gust!” I called out, crossing my fingers.

Tobias hurried to comply. He let out an awful screech and his wings flapped rapidly. I got the feeling he knew Electro had fallen – he wouldn’t be out otherwise – and he wasn’t thrilled. The blow barely even made a dent, but at least it struck. Misty countered with Surf.

“Dodge it, Toby!”

It was quite satisfying to watch the wave smack the wall harmlessly. Maybe, just maybe we could still win this thing. I gave the order to Growl. So long as Tobias could dodge, we had a chance to address the main problem; this thing was just too strong. Misty called out for another Hydro Pump; it missed. This battle was going to take luck as much as skill. And in all honesty I wasn’t convinced we were going to win.

_Think, Ash, think._

It was getting harder to concentrate; the aroma from the pool saturated ever particle of air, and my headache had gotten worse. If we didn’t finish this soon, I would have to forfeit. Electro would never forgive me, and it wasn’t in me to give up. Plus, Noir would never let me forget it.

“Quick Attack!”

Tobias let out a battle cry and threw everything he had behind the blow. To my relief Misty’s Pokémon stumbled. We had managed a Critical Hit! Misty threw another Hydro Pump at us, and this time it struck hard. Toby crashed into the wall, down for the count. Misty flashed a grin.

“You want to quit while you’re ahead?” she called out with a smirk.

 _Now what?_ I asked myself. Who was left? Jerry, Navi, and… _Saria!_ Why hadn’t I thought of that before? I shot Misty a smug smile. “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” I replied. “Let’s finish this, Saria!”

The moment she saw the pink Pokémon, the tough-as-nails Gym Leader blanched. I couldn’t guess why, unless she figured out my game plan. Saria drew in a deep breath and glared at the other Pokémon.

“Sing our friend here a lullaby,” I said, still smiling as I feigned plugging my ears. “The poor thing looks worn out.”

One of the perks of being half-wolf was that the Sing attack didn’t affect me. Misty cringed and covered her ears, watching, powerless, as her Pokémon curled up for a nap. I’m not sure if it was the dizzying effect of the scent in the air, or just the fact that things were looking up, but I couldn’t stop smiling. I waved a hand at the Jigglypuff.

“Pound hard, Saria.”

She rushed the other Pokémon, throwing all her strength into the strike. Luck was with us; another Critical Hit. And it was all over – the strange Water Pokémon was down and out. We had won, but the fact was, I still felt like I’d let Electro down.


	10. Thunder and Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where its semi-obvious I was exploring a story idea I wasn't sure on in tie with Electro's story. Breeze, the Nightowls, Noir... all this belongs to an original story. It got thrown in because the whole "let me retell my gameplay journey" concept sounded boring.

“ _Ok, Electro, start talking,”_ I said to my Pikachu as he lay listless across my shoulders. It would be a much shorter walk now that I could use my wolf form again. We’d been on the trail over an hour, and Electro hadn’t said a word since leaving the Pokémon Center.

“ _There’s nothing to talk about,_ ” he replied. _“I failed.”_

I growled softly. _“You didn’t_ fail _, Electro._ _We lost, that’s it._ ”

“I _lost,”_ he said. _“_ You _won_.” He rolled over onto his back. _“I didn’t expect to beat Pikachu, I mean, duh, he’s level 100! But getting pounded by a Water type is humiliating. How am I supposed to take on Raichu?”_

I could see his point, but this was seriously getting ridiculous. _“Everyone loses, Electro, its normal. Nobody wins every fight.”_

_“That Coe guy did.”_

_“Coe?”_ asked Noir, shooting me a curious look.

 _“David Allan Coe,”_ I replied. _“My dad has this amazing collection of American music. There’s this one song that goes: ‘I’ve won every fight I’ve ever fought’.”_ I snorted and looked over my shoulder at Electro, then stumbled when the sun got in my eyes. _“Sarcasm is a foreign language to you, isn’t it?_ No one _wins_ every _fight. Mom always says if you haven’t got your…”_ I caught myself just in time to stop a swear word from slipping out. “ _If you never lost, then you’ve never fought.”_

Electro just snorted.

Noir apparently got sick of his attitude. He leapt in front of me, forcing me to skid to a stop. Then he shifted and picked Electro up by the scruff before reaching into my pack. He was so quick I didn’t have time to complain. In his hand was my phone.

 _“Whatever you’re planning,”_ I said, sitting down and scratching at my neck. _“I don’t recommend it. And next time,_ ask _before getting into my stuff.”_

Noir ignored both my comments and Electro’s squirming, scrolling through my phone a moment before a familiar song came out. A steady rhythm both Electro and I knew well. “Tell me something, Pikachu,” he said, looking Electro straight in the eye, “was all that talk about being the best ever just thunder, or was there some lightning behind it?”

 _“I’ll give you lightning!”_ snapped Electro, sparks flying as Noir was forced to let go. My Pikachu did a roll in mid-air and landed on his feet. _“You might think yourself some hotshot Pack Leader, but I don’t see any badges on_ your _collar.”_

I wished I had some popcorn. If these two hard-heads were going to go at it, I might even sell tickets.

“I don’t rely on someone else to measure my worth,” Noir replied, folding his arms across his chest. “Believe me, if I did I’d think myself as worthless as you do.”

Sparks crackled on Electro’s cheeks and his paws clenched into fists. _“I’m NOT worthless!”_

“Then what was all that ‘I failed’ talk?”

_“I did!”_

“Not yet. If your goal is more than to beat the Cerulean Gym, then you haven’t failed yet. ’Ain’t no limit in this life to how far you can get’,” Noir continued, reaching for one of his Pokéballs, “‘but if you’re goin’ all the way, you gotta break a sweat’.” He tossed the ball into the air, releasing a Vulpix. “Firefall, mind helping our friend here get some practice in?”

 _“Certainly,”_ replied the Vulpix. He crouched in a fighting stance. _“Been awhile since I had a real good battle.”_

Electro growled and crouched. _“Bring it on, Charcoal-breathe!”_

Was he talking to Noir or Firefall? I shook my head and wandered over to a tree. Shifting, I reached into my pack for a bag of chips. “Racing is a spectator sport,” I muttered under my breath, wondering for the thousandth time why that dang _Balto_ quote was stuck in my head. “It requires very little preparation.” I flopped back against the tree and ripped open the bag. “You sit, you arrange refreshments. You like potato chips?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.”

I jumped up in surprise and spun around to find a blond, blue-eyed young girl leaning up against the tree.

She saw my startled expression and lowered her head. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Then she raised her eyes to mine and glared. “Though you and your companions need to be more aware of your surroundings, especially when you travel in your true forms.”

“Believe me, Breeze,” replied Noir, who was abruptly at my side. He put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me behind him. “I was aware of you tailing us since Mt. Moon. However I figured you had your reasons.”

I rounded on the dragon-wolf. “You _know_ this girl?”

He had the nerve to smirk. “Yes, she’s a member of the Pack. We were quite close once upon a time.” There was a warmth to his voice that made me grit my teeth.

Breeze snorted and folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t flatter yourself. It’s only natural two outcasts will hang out together, it’s not like I had a crush on you or something.”

“Pika pi pi chu!”

“Vulpix, vul vul pix!”

I glanced down to find Electro and Firefall crouched and glaring at the newcomer. I sighed and addressed the she-wolf. “So, why _were_ you following us then?”

“Got sick of the pack’s trash,” she said with a shrug. “They’re losing patience for hybrids lately.”

“Don’t tell me,” I said, rolling my eyes, “you’re a dragon-cross too.”

Breeze snorted. “As if. You’re thinking of my cousins. I’m like you, just with less human blood.”

Noir nudged both Pokémon with his foot. He growled then barked, then looked up at Breeze with a bored expression. “She’s not exactly familiar with history, Bree. She doesn’t even know who you’re talking about.”

“Look,” I said, “let’s start over. Hi, I’m Aisha Wolf, and you are?” I held out my hand.

“Breeze Skylark,” she replied, taking my hand and giving it a firm shake. “I’d like to join your pack here. It’s better than being kicked around by the pack.”

Noir growled and shoved me behind him again. “If you’re sick of the pack, go back to the Nightowls. You’d be safe enough there.”

Breeze looked at him like he’d lost it. “In case you haven’t noticed, being too close to the dragons isn’t good for your health. The Nightowls survive because of their ties to the Bloodstones. But when you stick out like me, even that won’t help you.”

That was when I noticed the faint blue streaks that decorated the she-wolf’s clothes. If she was like Noir and I, and kept those even in wolf form, I could kind of see the problem. I might not have been “familiar with history” as Noir put it, but he had informed me that both the wolves and the dragons did their best to stay hidden, so anything would make humans question was considered dangerous.

“Since when is that my problem?” demanded Noir, baring his teeth. “I didn’t see you rushing to my defense when the pack kicked me out.”

Breeze’s expression was simply bored. “You got out alive, didn’t you?”

I couldn’t help it, I face-palmed. “Here, try putting these in your mouth instead of your foot.” I tossed the bag of chips to Breeze and turned around for my pack. “You two can bicker all you want when we make camp, but I want to make some good time before sunset. Come on, Electro.”

My Pika-pal smirked and nodded, jumping up on my shoulder.

“What?” Noir snapped. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I looked back over my shoulder and met his gaze for a split second. “Living by another of my mom’s sayings: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”


	11. The End

I tried to ignore the bickering of the two wolf-mixes behind me and focus on continuing our journey. Sometimes I wondered why I was even here. _Oh, right, because I have a Pikachu that thinks he’s a Pokémon Warrior._ The whole journey had gotten tiring and repetitive. How I wished I’d just stayed home. Then suddenly it got quiet. Too quiet.

“What the heck is going on?” Breeze demanded as the scenery around us faded to black then reformed into a peaceful forest.

“I’m stopping this train wreck before it goes any farther, _that’s_ what’s happening.”

I looked up to find… myself sitting in front of us. Or more accurately my wolf form. But it was larger somehow, stockier. It took me a moment and… you know what? Screw it. The author had shown up. I rolled my eyes. “Ash, what are you doing here? You’re breaking the fourth wall.”

“I’m sure this story can take it,” she replied. “Since it’s a total clusterfuck that makes _The Puppy Pack_ look like _A Tale of Two Cities_.”

I didn’t like how she was talking. Sure I was sick of this journey, but that didn’t mean I wanted to do it all over again. “Meaning?”

“This story is over. Done. Welcome back to Crepundium, enjoy your stay until I can make something of this full-blown screw-up.”

There were protests and complaints, but we all knew the truth: the author’s word was law. Game Over.

Electro, Jerry, Tobias, and the others rejoined the Pokémon that hadn’t been introduced yet, while Noir, Breeze, and I settled in to wait. And wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? I told you, you were wasting your time. This story is nothing but a train wreck. My worst effort to date. So unless you have some suggestions on how to clean up this screwed-up mess, why are you here?


End file.
